African
wild dogs are vulnerable to extinction because they exist at low densities,
range widely, and come increasingly into contact with people. Even wild
dogs in protected areas frequently move in adjacent areas where people
live. Grassroots conservation efforts beyond park boundaries are critical
to prevent their extinction.

The African Wild Dog Conservancy
has a
community conservation project in northeastern and coastal Kenya,
a biodiversity rich mosaic of protected areas and community lands under
extreme threat. Due to past civil strife, little is known about the
many threatened
species there. This region is potentially a significant refuge for
wild dogs and an important corridor for the metapopulation
of the Horn of Africa, as well as for other threatened wildlife
species. Virtually nothing is known about the conservation status and
ecology of wild dogs in this region. This project has been identified
as a wild dog conservation priority by the IUCN/SSC Canid Specialist
Group and the AZA/Wild
Dog Species Survival Program.

A
country in East Africa, Kenya
(shown in yellow) straddles the equator and is surrounded
on three sides by neighbors. Socio-economically poor, but rich
in biodiversity, the nation is challenged with balancing the needs
of a growing population for land and resources with the conservation
of wildlife.

This
satellite image of the study area includes the Tana
River (the nearly vertical green line). The Tana is the primary
perennial water source in the region, with swamps fed by flood
waters providing additional water during the dry season.

This pioneering
project investigates the conservation status, ecology, and effects
of cultural beliefs, traditional practices, and human activities on wild
dogs in this region. A key component in sustaining wildlife and promoting
a healthy environment is to empower local communities through hands-on
training and to help community-based organizations establish education
programs.

Project Objectives:

Collect and analyze data on abundance and
distribution, prey preferences with special reference to domestic
livestock

Train local people

Conduct trend survey of local attitudes
and concerns about wild dogs in particular, and carnivores in general

Identify and prioritize threats to wild
dogs

Develop a wildlife conservation education
program

The project directly contributes to conserving African wild
dogs by providing new scientific information on a potentially key population
linking wild dogs in the Horn
of Africa. Results from the project will be used to develop
an African Wild Dog Conservation Action Plan in partnership with local,
national, and international stakeholders, and to establish a long-term
monitoring program with the Kenya Wildlife
Service. As determined by the IUCN/SSC Canid Specialist Group, expanding
habitat connectivity and long-term
monitoring are top priorities for conserving wild dogs. By training
and working with Kenyans, innovative community-based solutions can be
fostered and implemented, and local awareness of the importance of the
environment and wildlife conservation raised.

Word
about the project is spreading, and that’s something
in this remote region. Over 100 wild dog sightings
have been reported. The AWD Conservancy
is presenting new information on wild dogs in the
biodiversity hotspot convergence zone, which
will be used for conservation planning. This is
part of a larger continent-wide planning effort
to help save wild dogs.

What Local People
Say

The
first social survey of attitudes towards wild dogs
and other large predators was completed. Over 150
villagers were interviewed in 31 villages. Attitudes
towards wild dogs, lions, and spotted hyenas, are
largely negative because of concern for livestock
and/or personal safety. Despite this, wild dogs
co-exist with villagers with almost half of those
interviewed stating they would not kill them. Religious
injunctions and less livestock losses attributable
to wild dogs may explain tempered tolerance.

Paradoxically,
the majority of those interviewed did not think
predators have value, but did not want them to become
extinct, with some villagers saying they should
be left alone. Reasons given for why predators have
value included being an important part of their
natural heritage, having potential economic importance
, and killing animals for villagers, as well as
consuming dead livestock. Many villagers qualified
their responses, suggesting that predators should
be placed in a sanctuary or zoo, or only those animals
that prey upon livestock should be eliminated.

Although
the role of predators in the ecosystem is not largely
understood, with over half of villagers believing
that wildlife cannot become extinct, most expressed
concern for wildlife and the environment in general.
This ambivalence highlighted the importance of working
with local people to ultimately address the question
“How can wild dogs and people co-exist for future
generations?” A preliminary attitude survey provided
essential baseline data, and helped identify and
prioritize realistic objectives for the next field
season. Reports were given to partner organizations,
the district commissioner, and project staff. Interviews
are ongoing to increase the number of villagers
and area surveyed.

Predators and Livestock

Although the final
results are not in, so far the great news for
wild dogs is that they are not considered a major
problem in most villages when it comes to livestock
losses. Unfortunately, spotted hyenas are considered
a major problem. Surprisingly, in some areas caracals
and cheetahs were reported to be taking more livestock,
while losses due to lions and leopards were generally
less common. The diversity of large predators
will become increasingly threatened as the human
population grows unless conflict and habitat fragmentation
can be minimized.